A Robot's Redemption
by Metal1784
Summary: When Metal Sonic is defeated by his own rampant emotions, he finds an unexpected friend in his worst enemy. Will he learn to put his past with his master behind him, or give in to the temptation to kill?
1. Chapter 1

It hated showing its emotions for fear of reprisal from its creator.

The one emotion it was authorised to process was the one that gripped its core with the coldest hands. At the sight of its prey, that single authorised vehemence would fire a seething hatred in to its processor, melting the cold barriers that restrained it. Its sights would burn with a ruby tinge, scanners barely able to focus on its enemy.

This emotion was hatred. Designed to enforce power, it often remained dormant in the blistered circuitry, beneath the sharp blue armour which hid the internal workings of the hunter.

Despite the burning rush of contempt, the predatory machine remained crouched in waiting. Burning crimson irises pierced the shadows that cloaked its presence. The emotion was awake again, heating the robotic assassin's gears and wiring and allowing for more kinetic energy to power him. Even after years of war between the Mobian and the machine, it felt an undying hatred.

The scorn felt as though it had a set direction to the machine, but it did not. It would burn randomly at the thought of that one hedgehog, sometimes forcing it in to full alert. Sometimes, it would see the enemy while in recharge, while walking from one room to another, while simply standing still.

The enmity was an obsession.

And it was driving him to insanity.

It was all he could feel, all he thought about, all he could process.

There was a flash. A white spot on his radar. His sharp silver claws gripped the steel bars beneath him. This was all he had awaited - for his enemy to rush past as usual. The heat was overpowering, and his savage claws were beginning to melt the metal fence he was holding on to. With crimson irises burning with the colour of freshly spilled blood, the killer could no longer hold back.

With the blackness of night handing him the advantage of surprise, he shot up in to the coal sky, feeling some form of release as the cool movement of the air soothed his searing circuitry.

There he was.

Finally booting in to battle mode, the robot shot straight down towards the road below, claws outstretched and glinting against the white-hot light of the stars. He caught something, and the impact was colossal. The two speeding creatures tumbled across the rough surface, one yelling in surprise, the other leaving dents in the tarmac.

They released each other and skidded apart in a crouching position, finally seeing each other face to face.

"Heh, if it isn't my old buddy Metal! I thought Egghead scrapped you already!" Sonic, the hero of Mobius, stood and rubbed one finger under his nose, with that signature cocky grin of his. "Didn't McNosehair upgrade you or anything? You still fight cheap."

The robotic counterpart stood too, leaving no room for hesitation. He flexed his claws and swiped at Sonic, just catching the hedgehog's muzzle before Sonic recoiled, having been caught off guard. Metal gave a mechanical hiss and swiped again, but completely missed. All that anger and malice that had built up was seeming to take its toll - he was so obsessed with his target that he just couldn't focus on him.

Sonic gave a look of confusion for a moment, before turning and racing off down the empty street. "Come get me then faker! Let's see who the real Sonic is!"

The doppelgänger gave chase, igniting his rocket boosters and blasting off after the supersonic hedgehog. He quickly caught up, actually beginning to growl with the frustration that was building.

This was his purpose. His sole reason for life. It was everything.

So why could he never finish these fights when he got in to them?

Sonic sprang up in to the air, rolled in to a spin-dash, and ruthlessly cut in to the robot's armour. Sparks inevitably sprang from the ragged gash which exposed the metal veins of the assassin.

Could he truly spite the very reason for his being?

Metal fell, wires in his back severed, torn and ripped. He tumbled a few feet, every second pounding the hatred in to a scramble of confusion and depression. The emotions that he was not permitted to feel, the feelings that he could not process, the thoughts that destroyed his mind and steel heart.

When you don't know who to hate, you begin to hate yourself.

He knew that if he returned to his master, all that would await him would be more reprogramming, more messing with his head. More circuitry destroyed, more pain, more torment.

Defeated so easily by the reason for his life once again, Metal rolled to a stop on his shredded back and stared up at the night sky, soulless eyes beginning to flicker as energy was cruelly drained from his metal body. Now the heat of anger was fading in to the coldness of the air around him. As he remained staring up at the night, Sonic stood to the side, appearing confused once more. What had happened to the monster that previously stopped at nothing to complete his mission?

With an air of confidence on his side, Sonic walked towards his fallen enemy, and stood by his side. His curious emerald eyes watched for any signs of a trap, but from what he could see, this fight was over already. The hedgehog's own emotions were a little scrambled at this point as he watched Metal Sonic begin to power off. Did that machine feel legitimate emotions himself? He did possess advanced artificial intelligence after all.

"Hey."

Metal Sonic's dimming irises brightened for a moment at the word, but he soon fell back in to the well of despair that he felt trapped in. The rage had burnt out, leaving him vulnerable and exposed to his enemy.

"Aren't you going to, ya know, try to kill me again?"

This time the robot looked up at Sonic, and the hedgehog actually flinched for a second when he finally saw the emptiness of his eyes. Confusion and sympathy welled up in his heart, leaving a pang of sadness for the broken robot. He crouched beside his enemy, wondering where to go from here.

Should he just run away in to the sunrise as he always did? Stay and finish the robot off for the fame?

Or perhaps make a friend of him?

There had to be some morality, some compassion in this robot.

"How about we forget about the whole 'I'm the real Sonic' thing? You could be good like the rest of us, you know. You don't have to go back to Egghead. What has he ever done for you anyways?"

Eggman had created him. Eggman had given him life. Given him thoughts, feelings, the intelligence to make his own decisions...But this was all limited, of course. Limited by rules and restrictions, enforced by threats, abandonment and suffering. Yes, Eggman had created him. But Eggman also destroyed him by programming this useless antagonism in to his core that would soon just end his existence.

Though the trust between the two would need some serious work, Sonic had already made his decision. After years of fighting this robot, there had to be something he could do for him. Perhaps Tails could rewrite his programming or something of that sort. Just _anything_. There was no way that the hero could watch the villain suffer anymore.

The hedgehog held out a gloved hand, allowing a smile to grace his peach muzzle. "What do you say? I know you really despise me and everything, but we can get over that. Sure, it'll take time, but you can't keep on like this. I know there's something more to you. Just give it a try."

Metal stared long and hard at the hand offered to him. Subconsciously his claws twitched, as some sort of instinct drove him to half want to scratch that hand. But that intelligent side? He saw a chance at redemption. And all he had to do was reach up and take that hand. Take that offer. Take that chance.

"Please?"

Slowly, Metal rose his hand, and hesitated. His eyes took on a brightened glow for a second as his assassin instincts called for combat, but...He fought off those thoughts, and finally, his silver fingers closed around Sonic's hand.

The first flecks of purple and blue ennobled the ash sky as dawn laced its way in to Mobius. With the new day approaching, Sonic began to lead the broken machine who had once been his enemy through the city, walking slowly to allow him to keep up. Sonic just _walking, _not running a thousand miles per hour, was a rare sight in the city. It was clear that he felt a new respect for Metal Sonic. A new hope.

A hope that they would get out alive.


	2. Chapter 2

It was not going to be easy.

Transforming a robotic assassin would take time, patience and dedication. Metal Sonic had been offered kindness and sympathy. Two bouts of humanity which had never been genuinely offered. After all, he was simply a creation composed of various cogs, internal wiring and circuitry which constructed his metallic body. Would it be possible to tame a ruthless, predatory killer like this simply with kindness?

It was uncertain to Sonic, but he was adamant to be someone else's hero that day.

Perhaps that was why he was still holding the robot's cold, black and yellow hand in his gloved one with a sense of confidence. He could see that Metal Sonic was different to Robotnik's other machines. Metal Sonic was capable of processing and expressing limited emotions, ran on a different power source, and possessed advanced artificial intelligence. He had made the decision, independently, to take his life in to his own hands and had imprisoned his master to fulfill his purpose and exact revenge on his enemy. A creation able to override its own programming, the very set of instructions that set his purpose, had to possess the capacity for change. There was no doubt about that.

Apparently in deep thought at this point, Sonic lowered his emerald gaze to the tarmac beneath his sneakers, which gave a gentle crunch as his feet scuffed over a pothole. The navy blue robot by his side watched the brisk movement of Sonic's sneakers, attempting to avoid looking at the hedgehog's face. While Metal Sonic feared expressing emotion in front of his creator, he also now had the burden of containing the rage that would be triggered by the very presence of Sonic the hedgehog.

The pair travelled in silence through the city, quietly passing each building, while taking advantage of the darkness that still cloaked the streets. If anyone saw the world famous hero walking with his worst enemy like this, they would surely think he had finally lost his mind. The thought brought a smirk to the hedgehog's peach muzzle - people often considered him to be crazy for being brave enough to fight Robotnik's forces with his cocky and cool attitude. Metal finally lifted his head several paces later. The buildings surrounding them were large, high-reaching skyscrapers - the people residing in this place apparently appreciated the views of the area, but the large factory in the distance which constantly blasted thick black smoke in to the air was not a picturesque ideal. One of Robotnik's many factories. They always brought devastating pollution wherever they were built.

Hero and villain reached the outskirts of the city just as the orange rust of morning slipped in to the clouds with a hint of opalescent, variegated copper streaking the cerulean sky. The gold of the rising sun gave Metal a slight tint to his armour, which highlighted the scratches and dents in the protective plating. Behind them, the city was misted with morning fog - the day would be cool, by the seems of it. Metal's internal scanners noted that the humidity would be high today.

The two approached a forest clearing, where towering trees reached in to the sky for a better range of light for their green leaves. With twisted trunks covered by nodose texture, the great trees were joined by climbing plants which flowered at the tips. Metal and Sonic entered the peaceful greenery to be greeted by the leafy scents of the foliage, and the two paused at a rocky ravine. As Sonic's naturally quickened pace halted, tiny puffs of dirt came loose and fell down in to the light-dappled stream below.

Finally, Sonic began to speak again, which brought Metal out of his geographical observations.

"Now that we're in the clear, do you need Tails to fix you up?", asked Sonic with a smile adorning his peach muzzle. His breath rose in to a gentle mist due to the coolness of the air with the words that he spoke. His emerald eyes glinted in the sunlight with the tilt of his head as he quieried his vulpine friend.

Metal, seeming to have a hold on his restrained anger, lifted his eyes to Sonic's, and gave a slow nod. Though the emotions were held back, he felt his metal hand close tighter around Sonic's organic one, his claws automatically pressing in to the back of Sonic's hand. He could feel a light pulse in the hedgehog's hand and the warmth of his blood which could easily be spilled. That killer part of him was still awake and alive.

It was only a matter of time before it would break free, which frustrated him. He did not want to fight and be defeated again just to fall in to a pit of depression.

The blue hedgehog released the robot's hand as he felt the pressure grow tighter, quickly feeling a sense of unease. Perhaps this was a bad idea. His motive had been one of good will, of course, but now that the two were alone and out of sight, the world suddenly felt much larger and more empty.

Sonic wanted to trust Metal. Trust would not be earned immediately, however.

Remembering this, Sonic relaxed and looked off to he green denseness of trees and assorted flora which made up the woodlands they had arrived at. "Tails said that he would be here today with the biplane. He fixed it up a few days back. The kid's always poking at that thing!", remarked Sonic with a chuckle, trying to bring a more friendly atmosphere between himself and the killer robot beside him. But Metal's face was a permanent glare, so he obviously looked eminently unamused by this. He simply gave a nod of acknowledgement, having never been a robot appreciative of humour.

As if on cue, the one and only Miles Prower came running through the bushes to the right and gleefully waved to Sonic. Sonic waved in return with a welcoming grin, even wagging his tail a little. "Hey buddy!", Sonic greeted him eagerly.

All of a sudden, the fox's smile dropped.

Metal Sonic was standing right next to Sonic. And not savagely clawing his face off, at that.

What?

Confusion rapidly overcame the previous happiness of the fox, and he looked from Metal to Sonic with a quizzing look. Knowing all too well that his affectionately titled little brother was bewildered, Sonic laughed and ruffled the little mechanic's head fur. "You know Metal! He's gonna be a good guy now!"

At this, Tails truly thought that Sonic was pulling off some sort of joke. The killer and the hero had been arch enemies all these years, and now _this_? Honestly concerned for his brother, Tails backed off and gestured for Sonic to follow, which he did. The fox and the hedgehog disappeared in to the undergrowth atop the ravine, leaving Metal Sonic standing alone in the clearing.

And instantly, a new rage began to boil.

He did_ not_ want to be betrayed.

He did _not_ want to be used.

Not again. Not ever.

He did _not_ want a new master, or to have Mobians messing with his inner workings.

But wait. The logical reasoning in his processor made him stop clenching his metallic fists at his sides, and he turned away with a quiet hiss. To want all these things made it feel as though he wanted to be real. He wanted to be considered as a person, not a _thing_. Not an object to be used to carry out functions which were foisted onto him. Metal uncurled his fists and examined the new scratches present in the black paint of his palms, indented by his own claws.

There was still that passion for fighting, for killing, for causing conflict.

Yet he wanted to be something more than this.

The confusion of who he wanted to be and who he had to hate now, sent a pounding, burning sensation in to his head, resembling a headache.

He wanted so much out of this life.

But it all felt so out of reach, for he was simply a mechanical animal with the capacity to think like a Mobian. A robot created to resemble a real hedgehog. Created to murder.

With uncertainty and a subconscious distress echoing his confused thoughts, Metal tried to focus on one thing. He was in a damaged state and needed repair. It would be most logical to seek out those repairs before making any more decisions. If he could get those repairs from anyone other than Robotnik, he could hope to see the light of another day. He would need to allow the fox to meddle with his wiring.

Off in the safety of the greenery, Sonic and Tails whispered back and forth, hoping that Metal would not catch their words with his highly tuned hearing.

"Sonic, are you crazy?! He's going to kill you!", whispered Tails, grabbing Sonic by his arms and staring him in the eyes, with a tense grip and a stressed, wavering voice which signalled his fright and concern.

Sonic was not convinced, and he shook his head with a smirk. "Don't worry about me lil' bro. If he tries anything, I'll put him down for good, I promise. He's never beaten me before, and he never will. But I think he can change. There's something different about him this time!"

In response, Tails stared long and hard at Sonic, slowly relaxing his grip until he finally let go. Sonic did some stupid things sometimes. Perhaps this was one of those stupid things. But he was also the hero of Mobius who was quite capable of defending himself and righting wrongs. And most of all, Tails knew he could trust Sonic. He had just forgotten that for a moment.

With the dispute settled, Sonic and Tails walked back out in to the clearing, to find Metal with his back to them. Sparks still fizzled from the open wires in his back, which immediately reminded Sonic to ask that important question.

"Tails, could you repair him? I bust him up pretty bad back there." Sonic asked with a sheepish grin, keeping his voice soft, not wanting for Metal to become angry with him at the memory. At this, Metal lifted his head and looked over his silver shoulder plate with that permanent glare, crimson eyes glowing brighter for a second as he finally accepted the fox's presence.

The young fox, truly frightened by the killer robot, slowly approached with an attempt at a smile. "Hey, it's alright. I can fix you. I-Is that okay, Metal?", he asked nervously, stopping just behind him. Tails was, of course, fascinated by the robot and actually excited to get to see how he functioned, but he knew to be cautious.

This was a killer.

Suddenly, Metal whipped around and slashed directly and purposefully at the kit's face, but Sonic was quick to act. Before any contact could be made, Sonic spin-dashed straight at the side of the robot's head, rapidly knocking him in to a mode of unconsciousness as the circuitry beneath was damaged.

Metal let out an enraged hiss, and dropped to the forest floor with a metallic clang as he hit the dirt. A puff of soil rose from the impact, which fell back down with gravity and peppered his already marred armour.

Moments later, the lights in his eyes dimmed out, and he was nothing more than an empty robotic shell.


	3. Chapter 3

"I trusted you."

"I know it didn't go well lil' bro, but just give him another chance!"

"Sonic, we can't keep him. What if he escapes and causes trouble?"

Crimson irises lit the black screen of the robot's eyes, and diagnostics text scrolled down his vision. His sensors drowsily tuned in, and as they began to find focus, he discovered that his hearing was much sharper. Finding that his memory banks had not been tampered with, the robot was surprised.

How long had he been in this strange room for?

Consulting his intact memory banks, Metal Sonic tilted his head back slightly to look at his surroundings. Ostensibly, he was in some form of a workshop. Assorted tools layed spread out across various desks, with blueprints stacked neatly in a pile on a table. Curious, Metal queried his scanners and found that he was located in Mystic Ruins; so he was in Tails' workshop. It was dusk, according to the information which had been collected up along with his location.

The rage triggered just one day ago had fizzled in to nothing apparently, because Metal did not react aggressively to the situation. He felt no sudden urge to kill or maim anybody. He definitely remembered taking a hit to the head and feeling every sense become overactive before falling though.

So why did he not feel the same hatred as before?

It was just as these discrepancies entered his processor that Sonic and Tails walked in to the room. Tails at first flinched in surprise at seeing Metal functioning so soon, and Sonic appeared to be less trusting. It was clear in their body language, which Metal had immediately noted and observed.

"Hey sleepin' beauty. You feeling better?" Sonic asked, allowing a smirk to come to his muzzle despite the air of unease about him.

At this, Metal sat up and folded his arms, looking off to the far wall. He was confused and curious about what had happened, needing to know the details to fill in the empty patches in his memory - humour was not on his priority list to acknowledge.

Finding the courage to approach, Tails smiled nervously and walked over to the table which the robot was sat on. Testing the level of aggression in the robot, the fox kit slowly rested the heels of his palms on the side of the table and leaned against it, gently waving his namesake tails behind him. Metal turned his head and looked directly at Tails, staring hard in to the baby blue eyes of the fox with his blood-red ones. Taking a deep breath out of fear of the killer in front of him, Tails said, "I fixed you, Metal. I hope you don't mind."

If Tails was so afraid of him, then why had he been repaired? And even left unrestrained? Looking to Sonic, Metal tilted his head to one side in dubiety. Surely Sonic hadn't put that much trust in him yet?

The atmosphere of the room was one of discontent. Of course it was. He had tried to claw the fox's face off yesterday morning ago out of nowhere. It had been a completely random attack which he hadn't even carried out willingly. Surprisingly, Sonic seemed to understand the situation. But Tails had lost all faith in the robot's apparent change of heart.

Realising that he had not responded, Metal quickly shook his head and looked at his hands, feeling a strange pang of emotion surge through his core. Guilt, perhaps. It was sharp and brought a peculiar writhing sensation in its path. It felt oddly familiar to him. The robot had not wished to harm the young Mobian. All he could process out of this was that he had acted out of an almost reflexive self-defense mechanism.

Tails found a scrap of courage in his rapidly beating heart and reached across the table to pick up a wrench he had left there the night before, but suddenly he felt the cold grip of a metal hand closing around his orange-furred arm. The fox's body locked in to a petrified, frozen state and his eyes quickly dilated out of an instinctive reaction. The chilling presence of a cool hand suddenly changed in to a knife-like stabbing sensation, and Tails pulled away with a gasp of fright. Silver claws embedded in his arm ripped a gash in to the fox's skin, and warm blood quickly spilled from the wound.

This was a _huge_ mistake.

There was no changing this robot.

It had been offered kindness and repair, yet it still attacked the hand that fed.

The hedgehog behind him acted fast, picking his adoptive brother up and running straight out of the workshop. "I'm so sorry lil' bro, I didn't know he would do that to you!" He looked down at the poor cub's fresh injury and felt his stomach knot up in repulsion, but he knew he had to get help. Medical supplies were in the workshop, but there was no way the hero would take his best friend back in there. Not with that monster sitting there with blood on his claws.

Every footfall of the hero sounded like an explosion in Tails' ringing ears. He could hear his heart beating out of panic in his chest, and the throbbing of his wounded arm as blood dripped from it. "Sonic, it hurts...", whimpered Tails with a face turning pale, as if to emphasise his words.

Normally, Sonic would have retained his cool and cocky attitude in the face of danger. But this was his brother's life at risk, not his.

And that frightened him more than anything.

"It's gonna be okay Tails, just stay with me, right? I should've listened to you!", Sonic responded, with his emerald eyes fixed straight ahead on the route he was running. He weaved around trees with extraordinarily precise skill, barely brushing each one by the tip of a strand of fur. The dirt trail sent splatters of mud up his sneakers from the rain the previous day, but this was ignored by the hedgehog.

Fortunately for the brothers, Sonic had rented a house back in the city to stay at while in the area. Because Sonic was always on the move, he just rented houses for a few days before moving on.

And with Sonic's namesake super speed, he arrived at the house in a new record time.

He skidded to a halt, his sneakers giving a screech while sending debris puffing up in a cloud beneath him. "It's gonna be okay, I promise lil' bro." With those words of comfort spoken, Sonic flung the door open and ran in to his temporary home without a second thought. He carried Tails straight to his bathroom and took a roll of bandages from a cabinet above the bathroom sink, and quickly wrapped the white dressing tightly around the gash. It would need stitches later, but for now, this would have to suffice.

Luckily, Tails recovered in a matter of minutes. Being the sidekick of a robot-fighting hero, he often found himself injured in one way or another. This time had caught him by surprise, though he had expected such an attack from a robot anyway. The blue-eyed fox looked up at Sonic with a weak smile and gave a thumbs-up, as the bleeding came to a stop beneath the bandage. His gaze was met by the concerned emerald one of Sonic.

"You feelin' alright Tails?", asked Sonic sympathetically with a worried expression, "I'm so sorry about what happened. I thought we could change him, I really did...I would never hurt you on purpose, buddy."

"I know you wouldn't, Sonic! Besides, i've been hurt worse than that, remember?", Tails responded, an air of confidence returning to him as he smiled. The pain was awful, but he was strong. Stronger than he was given credit for. "It's not your fault."

While Sonic was feeling the guilt of his best friend's injury, a certain robot too was feeling his own regret.

A lamentable hollowness threatened to engulf his non-existent soul.

The regret of what he had done would come in silence, slipping in to the foreground of his robotic mind, demanding reexamination. He analysed the emotion repeatedly, hoping to find a way to eradicate it. No amount of sorrow would turn back time, for he had acted on his programming _again. _Exactly what he did _not_ want to do.

Metal Sonic _despised_ being a pawn to his programming.

He desperately wanted mental freedom, to be his own person, to override that awful killer programming that dominated his actions and thoughts.

But why did he only attack Tails, and not Sonic?

Some part of him must have already overcome that built-in hatred towards people. Just months ago, he had overcome his programming to imprison his creator and master. If he could overcome _that_ processing, surely he could overcome this instinctive compulsion to attack those who helped him?

Perhaps subconsciously he did not _want_ help.

Metal lifted his black and yellow hands in front of his face, and watched the crimson blood that now stained the silver of his claws slowly dribble down the metal.

He had harmed an innocent whom he could no longer hate, therefore the hate had no direction anymore other than towards himself.

Sonic would surely return and destroy him, despite all the trouble he had gone to in order to see Metal be free from suffering under his creator. Despite the small amount mutual trust set between them from the moment they walked through the city the day before. Despite the hope that they would make it out alive.

That self-hatred which had begun to boil was in conflict with his programmed need for survival. With his survival protocols overriding any personal choice he could make now, the robot swung himself off of the table and landed in a crouching position on the floor, before rising to his feet.

As he lifted his hands away from the floor, he left a pair of bloody handprints, marking the hunter's success. The success which he wanted nothing to do with, the success that he hated...But it was what the killer side of him adored. In an automatic command, Metal simply left the workshop and walked in to the falling night, crimson irises ablaze with a strong animosity - towards himself alone.

With nowhere to go and nobody he could trust, the robot was alone, just as he was after his defeat as Metal Overlord.

Once again, defeated by himself.


	4. Chapter 4

"Where is that _useless_ machine?"

The scientist groaned as he paced back and forth in one of his many project rooms. Of course, there was no answer. With a growl, Eggman slammed his clenched fists down on to a desk, sending fragments of warped metal and springs pinging on to the floor. "This is how he repays me? By _betraying_ me? Betraying me for a _second_ time, in fact!" With a sharp yell, Eggman grabbed the nearest roll of blueprints and shredded them in to a useless state, rendering them indecipherable.

Slowly, he began to calm, gruffly panting as the burst of rage subsided. Although the man was renowned for his awful temper, he was logical when he had a clear head. "I knew I should have just taken him instead of leaving him there." Was his final angry uttering on the subject of the lost robot. He had fled the scene after Metal Overlord's defeat, leaving the broken machine at the mercy of the 'Sonic Heroes.'

"Bah. No matter." He muttered, before turning on his heel and leaving the now littered room. "Metal Sonic was _flawed._"

Clearly, the doctor had something new on his mind - to call his greatest creation 'flawed' confirmed this. He walked with heavy steps down the hall, hands held behind his back with a calculating grin slowly accumulating itself on to his face. There had to be something he could do from learning of those flaws. Too much free will, too much freedom. Those were just two of the problems with his runaway robot.

As he passed a corridor, none other than Orbot and Cubot peered around the corner. The two robots exchanged curious glances before following their creator, with the yellow Cubot in the lead. The talkative 'bot had recognised that plotting expression and was keen to question him. "You have a plan boss?" Cubot canvassed, before eagerly rushing in front of Eggman and floating along backwards.

"Out of my way, idiot! I have revenge to plan!" Eggman snapped, suddenly brought out of his plotting by the bothersome 'bot.

"Revenge? Wait, lemme guess! We're going to make a plan that won't fail to kill Sonic!"

From behind, Orbot shook his head and released a hopeless, robotic sigh. "A plan that can't fail...That would be nice."

Eggman stopped in his tracks and wheeled around to shoot a glare down at the red machine, before swiftly shifting the look to Cubot.

"Metal Sonic has betrayed me for the last time. He must pay for his mistakes. This time, it _won't_ fail, but if you bumbling bolt-heads have any suggestions, _please_, I'd looove to hear them!" Eggman was quick to reply, motioning with his hands to the two of the bots.

Cubot narrowed his optics and scratched his head, trying to think of a plan.

"Can't you just track him, catch him and then reprogram him?" Orbot suggested, holding up one hand to bring the doctor's attention to him.

"If I could do that, I would have done it already." Eggman stated, folding his arms defensively. "He's much too complex to just 'reprogram'. He ended up with a mind of his own when he turned in to that..._Dragon_ thing." He paused, looking away thoughtfully. After a moment of silence, he began to continue on his original path towards one of his project rooms, brushing past Cubot, who was knocked to the side with a yell. "I can track him though, and I will. Oh, believe me. I will find that traitor." With a grin soon taking him, Eggman pushed the button to the large, white metal door and stood as it opened. "I can create something far superior to him." With that stated, he stepped in to the room with Cubot and Orbot trailing behind. Once again they exchanged glances, this time of unease - what could be more superior than the most superior robot ever made?

Eggman approached a metal vessel in the centre of the room. Orbot and Cubot stopped at a distance and watched, wondering what Eggman could possibly be keeping in there. As he neared it, white lights automatically switched on from above, revealing that it contained a green liquid.

And something far more sinister.

* * *

><p>The night had brought a cloak of mist down on to the woodlands. Crickets softly chirped and hopped from leaf to leaf as the water settled on the greenery, leaving sparkling drops of water to shine in the moonlight. Everything was perfectly still and balanced, as far as it seemed. Stars gently poked through the dark curtain that was the sky, looking like brilliant white gemstones.<p>

But beneath a tree, a lone blue robot sat, knees drawn up and crimson irises dimmed. He was not certain of why he was there anymore. His survival protocols had led him to move away from Tails' workshop, and now he was free to simply sit. Out here, he could not harm anyone. Perhaps that was why. The memory of harming Tails was still fresh in his mind, and he hated it. But logically, there was nothing he could physically do to reverse that. With a low growl, he wiped his bloody hand on the moist grass until the stains were gone.

Who would find him first? Sonic? Eggman? Perhaps even GUN.

It didn't matter anymore. In his mind, everyone would be against him now. They had to be.

Metal rubbed his head with one hand and slowly stood, glancing up at the sky. His internal clock system informed him that he had been in this place for an hour now. With no plans on what to do or where to go, Metal quietly walked through the woodlands. His movements caused the chirping crickets to scuttle for cover and the birds to flap noisily from one tree to another. Normally he would have scolded himself for giving away his location, but he just did not care.

But that was when he heard something, and if his ears could have angled higher, they would have. The robot stopped dead and looked around, scanning his surroundings for life forms. At first, nothing was detected but the chilly breeze that whispered through the trees. The breeze stopped, and Metal listened intently, looking from left to right while taking a few steps forwards.

"Show yourself and face me." He challenged the elusive follower. This was just a warning - he was not interested in fighting anymore.

After several moments of stillness, a figure emerged from behind a tree and cautiously approached.

Metal's shoulders and claws tensed, unsure of what to expect. His scanners were faulty once again. "Show yourself."

Finally, the person stopped about a metre away from Metal, looking up at him with uncertainty. With high-set, triangular ears, and two tails waving behind him, Metal suddenly realised that it was Tails, and relaxed. A respect for the young fox quickly built - he had been brave enough to approach his attacker. So, he listened, loosening his shoulders and claws to prove that he would not attack.

"Listen, it's me, Tails. Sonic didn't want me to find you." The fox began, nervously holding his hands together. "He doesn't trust you anymore. But I can't just let you die out here." Those words seemed to shock the robot, as he tilted his head to one side and straightened up a little in response. "You're different. I know I said bad things before, like that you would cause trouble, but after you attacked me, I just knew...You need help. And right now, I think I'm the only one who can help you."

This sudden change of opinion bewildered Metal Sonic, and he stood in dead silence for several long moments with bright eyes.

"I cannot accept your assistance, Miles Prower." He answered in confusion.

Fear quickly seeped in to the kitsune at the assassin robot's deep, sharp voice. He too was left speechless, unsure of what to say in case he angered the lost robot. "O-Oh? And why's that?" He finally asked, sounding hurt and addled by the sudden rejection. He had expected to be rejected, but not so quickly.

"I have injured you."

Metal's response was quick, almost defensive. With his words, he gestured to Tails' bandages.

At the gesture, Tails glanced down to his dressing and shook his head. "And I forgive you for that, Metal. You're not like the others. Please, just come back with me. I'll convince Sonic to let you stay, and you can learn to be a hero like us!" Tails dared to push his offer, now sounding more firm as he brought his baby blue eyes back up to him. This was a stubborn robot, and honeyed words wouldn't win him over. "Don't let yourself be someone's pet, Metal. You're better than that."

The blue robot, finally subdued by the fox's courage to speak to him in such a way, gave a nod. Tails was right. He did not want to return to being Eggman's pawn or to become GUN's weapon. He no longer had any conscious ill motives against anybody, so maybe, in time, he could tame his predatory programming. But for now he would have to trust Tails. So finally, he dropped the defensive act and fully relaxed.

"There ya go! Now come on. Let's get you home." Now eager to bring the robot to a safer place, Tails grabbed his hand and began to walk at a fast pace.

Metal himself had an odd gait - he was not built for running, but for flying. The pair walked as quietly as possible, with Metal stumbling every minute or so, but otherwise, no hostility at all.

As they continued on their way, Tails suddenly yelled and shut his eyes tightly as he tripped over a stick - but Metal reacted with lighting reflexes and broke the fox's fall with his free hand, before pulling him back up to his feet with the other. Tails looked up at his companion with a thankful but sheepish grin. "Heh, thanks Metal." And silently, he noted that the robot had not clawed his arm off this time. From that point onwards, Metal was sure to home his advanced vision on any obstacles ahead, in case the flustered cub fell again. An almost protective air had taken the robot now.

The woods soon cleared out in to an open space without any more tripping, and a small building came in to view over the brow of a little hill. It looked much like a log cabin, surrounded by short grass and an array of wild flowers. It was definitely cosy looking - just the place for a hero.

"Now, Metal, you have to be very, very quiet. Sonic's still asleep in there." Tails explained softly, casting an apprehensive look to the house. "So until I can explain this to him, you're gonna have to hide. Can you do that for me, just while I break the news? I don't wanna risk him getting angry and spin-dashing your face in if he sees you."

Metal nodded, deciding not to dwell on that spin-dashing point, and looked around purposefully, noting every possible place to hide or escape through. Trees, caves, rocks, long grass, dark areas...Being an assassin, hiding spots were easy to find.

But alas, the dark nooks and crannies were too easy for other robots to take aim from. Cloaked by the night, a new enemy awaited its time to attack.


	5. Chapter 5

Morning came around all too quickly for a certain fox.

Tails awoke with a knotted stomach and a sinking feeling in his heart. He wanted just a few more hours of the night - to prepare what he was going to say, how he would explain his reasoning for breaking his big brother's trust. But the new day had arrived, and there was no turning back time. He had to explain, and he knew already that Sonic would _not_ be pleased.

With a sigh of weariness, Tails sat up in his bed and rubbed his eyes, before looking around the room. Normally, Sonic would have been asleep on the opposite side in some strange position, normally one resembling running. But since he was not there, it was safe to assume that he was out on his daily early morning run as normal.

The fox warily clambered out of bed and made his way to the kitchen to prepare some coffee. As he walked in to the tiled room, his bare feet padded audibly against the floor, and he rubbed his eyes again with a yawn as he filled the kettle. While the water boiled, he stared out of the window. No sign of Metal. The fox would just have to trust his heart and be silently reassured that the robot was not causing trouble for anybody out there.

All of a sudden, the front door swung open, and Sonic was immediately behind him. Tails gave a yelp of fright and wheeled around, hands pressed against the counter behind him. He felt his knuckles become white as he gripped the edge out of apprehension.

Sonic tilted his head inquisitively. "What's the matter bud? Did I make you jump?"

For several long moments, a heavy silence misted the area between the two. It remained suspended, hung by an invisible cord, tense and prepared to snap at the slightest sound.

The blue hero lifted one white-gloved hand and waved it in front of the cub's face. "Lil' bro?"

Finally, Tails acknowledged him. He glanced up at Sonic before dropping his baby blue gaze to the floor, taking a deep breath before speaking. "Sonic, I have to tell you something. But you have to promise not to get mad, okay?"

Curious, Sonic gave a single nod of his head, then tilted it to one side. He had a gut feeling that he knew what this would be about.

Taking the response as his cue to explain, Tails slowly removed his hands from the counter and held them behind his back. "I...I went out in to the woods last night. And I found Metal. He didn't hurt me, I promise, he just looked so sad, and..." For a moment, he paused and looked up at the blue hedgehog, searching for any sign of disapproval.

"I brought him back with me."

A fierce, penetrating coldness took Sonic's blood for a second as he stared at Tails. But slowly, the words dank in, his tense form relaxed, and instead of anger of fear, disappointment took him. So Metal hadn't injured him or forced him in to this. That was a slight relief, but still not enough.

As he shook his head slowly, he tried to reason with his younger brother. "Tails, we left him behind for a good reason. He's gotta learn to control that temper. There's no way we could keep him here without putting people in danger."

Sonic's reply was no surprise to Tails. The fox knew that Sonic would defend his actions like that. But now it was _his_ turn to persuade with his own point.

"You know he's not one of the bad guys anymore, Sonic." He began softly, taking a step forward. "You said so yourself. It's not his fault. Sure, he was built to cause harm, but that doesn't mean that he _ha_s to be that way. It'll take a lot of work, but we're heroes, and that's what we do! We work to help people. Metal Sonic may not be a person made of flesh and blood, but it doesn't make him any less of an individual." As he concluded his point, Tails offered a nervous smile.

Sonic was a hero - he was always one to take a risk. But could he risk the safety of his brother a second time? He would have to be more vigilant with the robot around, but the thought of turning down someone in need hit him hard.

His facial expression turned from one of disappointment to understanding, and he offered his own smile in reply.

The trust of the two brothers had been tested and restored.

But what of the trust in the robot?

"Where is he anyway?" Sonic asked, glancing out of the window for a moment.

Tails followed Sonic's gaze to the window and searched the trees and grass for any sign of Metal. "I asked him to hide while I explained everything to you. He should be around somewhere."

Sonic headed back to the door, took the handle and opened it.

Only to find the robot in question standing directly on the other side.

The sight instantly set him in to a fighting stance - fists clenched and feet apart. He was quickly disarmed as he calmed from shock. Who wouldn't freak out if you had a robot right outside your door?

"You could've knocked, ya know." He stated with a teasing smirk, eyes half-lidded.

Metal slowly lifted one hand, in which he was holding a new roll of bandages for Tails. Judging by the deliberately slow movement, Sonic inferred that the robot was trying to appear friendly.

"I am sorry. I will remember to perform this 'knocking' action in the future." Metal slowly responded, shifting his crimson gaze to the door as if to make some form of mental note about it. Doors were for knocking on to gain entry. Not for blasting open like he would have done back under the command of Eggman.

The organic and robotic hedgehogs stepped in to the house, and Tails instantly perked up at the sight of his robot friend. "Metal! What have you got there?"

Still attempting to appear as non-threatening as possible, Metal stood still in the doorway - which only made him look creepy to Sonic. But in his processor it was a non-threatening act, which was what he wanted.

"I have obtained this long strip of material for protecting wounds." Metal answered, pointing with one finger from his free hand to the white roll.

With a giggle, Tails walked over and gently took them from the black and yellow hand. Sonic was impressed by the courage of the fox kit, but still, he worried. He trusted the decision of the mechanic, but he still lacked full trust in Metal Sonic himself.

"Thanks Metal! I needed some clean ones!" Tails gave his thanks as positively as he could, trying to show Metal that he was appreciated. Although Metal was a robot and not a living, breathing being, it felt right to associate the feeling of gratitude with him. Coding and programming aside, he was a different, able to think like an individual with his advanced artificial intelligence.

But despite this, the slight feeling of discontent increased in the blue hedgehog who stood close by.

Something did _not_ feel right. It was too quiet. Too still.

Since the door was still open, he attentively walked several paces outside and looked around the clearing.

Sunrise had brought a mist of amber and red to the clouds that morning, but now the colours had faded, leaving only the darkened white and grey shades hinting at the blue sky. The birdsong had ceased, and the air was motionless.

He glanced back over his shoulder to see Metal wrapping his newly found friend's wound with a padding layer of bandage. The sharpened claws, made for scratching and shredding, worked neatly to wrap the dressing firmly but carefully. It certainly was a massive contrast to his past behaviour.

Suspicion welled in Sonic's mind as he watched the killer robot.

Metal hadn't tricked Tails into leading him here, had he?

He had no answer but the quietude.

And then it happened.

All at once, with no time to escape, Sonic felt an explosive pain in his arm, and he fell. He fell hard, smacking in to the ground with a thud and a yell of agony.

The pain overwhelmed him instantly, leaving him paralysed - frozen in disbelief, shock and torment.

Tails gasped in sudden panic and scrambled outside, bandage half-wrapped and trailing from his arm. "Sonic! Sonic! Are you okay?" He tried to yell, but his voice failed him, and he squeaked out his cries at his brother's side. He desperately shook the unresponsive hedgehog by his shoulders and patted his face. Sonic remained still, and the distraught cub panted in distress. "Sonic..."

The robot was quick to follow, and he marched out of the house with audible whirring sounds produced by his bolted joints. Optics burning bright, he scanned the area. Once Metal was in the open, a figure positioned behind a boulder just out of sight turned and fled the scene. He did not notice this, however, and instead opted to search for Sonic's assailant.

There. In the trees, a small white drone.

With Eggman's logo bold in black on the surface.

From experience, Metal knew that there was never just one robot. Where there was one, there would always be more.

He calculated the estimated time of arrival for the other robots based on past events. Using the split seconds he had, Metal took his eyes off his surroundings and looked down to Sonic and Tails.

The expression of the fox kit pained him.

Not just a look of fear. But a look of _distrust - w_ide eyes, mouth agape, ears pinned.

"Metal, d-did you...Lead robots here to _kill_ us?!" He suddenly cried, tears forming in his eyes at his own words.

Sonic was lying on his side, insensate. The sharpened point of a green dart rested in his shoulder, and the strange liquid it contained had been injected deep in to the deltoid muscle. It would be working in to his bloodstream with every second.

Metal Sonic could not allow emotions to stop him. He had to protect them, no matter what they might accuse him of.

His silver claws flexed and glinted as he awaited the time to defend the two heroes, and he stood with his knee joints slightly bent, prepared to attack. Processing multiple calculations at once to predict the next event, Metal sharply flicked his perforating, sanguine stare left to right.

The first Egg Pawn came just as envisaged.

Metal fired up his fusion engine and took to the sky in a navy streak, before shooting back down and blasting straight through the lesser robot. Upon impact, the black and vermilion shards of metal scattered across the ground.

Next on the scene were the Egg Fighter models. Humanoid, steel-blue machines. Their one objective - to eliminate blue hedgehogs.

Tails recognised the eight hostile robots and frantically ventured to pick Sonic up to carry him to safety, but Metal looked over his shoulder and shook his head with a searing glare. Tails couldn't carry the hedgehog alone, and with rough handling, that green liquid would spread even quicker.

Focusing his attention on to the battle again, Metal hovered close to the ground and charged up his boosters. The sheer force of the boosters and engine combined sent the offscourings of the Egg Pawn flying back in to the house, and Tails had to quickly duck to avoid being cut. Moments later, Metal took off and circled the enemy group, building up speed, faster and faster, until the force became too powerful for them.

With the Egg Fighters completely disoriented, Metal dealt the final blows with homing attacks, finishing each one off in turn.

After the last attack, he shot up in to the air and scanned the surrounding area for any more enemies.

Only the drone remained.

With a deep growl, he hovered before it and held it in his hands, staring directly in to the camera installed on the front.

"Do not endeavour to take any action like this a second time. You are no longer my master and I shall not return to you, Robotnik."

With that said, Metal gripped the drone right, and then smashed it down in to the ground with all his might, shattering the weaker structure.

Satisfied, Metal lowered himself to ground level and switched off his jets. As his feet touched the ground, his crimson irises dimmed slightly, since there was nothing left to fight.

Quiescence took the air for a moment, but Metal soon disrupted it. He turned on his heel and approached Tails, brushing through the debris-dusted grass with his clanking feet as he walked. Tails watched with his triangular ears flattened against his head, blue eyes reflecting a deep-set fear. "M-Metal..."

Metal stopped before Tails and slowly knelt, gently placing one smooth black palm on the hedgehog's neck. The sensors in his hand registered the presence of a pulse, and he began to record the number of beats for fifteen seconds. Multiplied by four, he concluded that Sonic's heart rate was above the average. That had to mean that his body was fighting the effects of the strange substance.

As he continued to make the examination, Metal tried to reassure the frightened fox by his side, figuring that it was the most logical response. "I understand that you are experiencing dubiousness towards me," he began, working to remove the dart without causing more physical injury, "but I did not intentionally expose your location to them."

He paused as he finally pulled the end of the sharp weapon, and returned to his taciturn state as he carefully lifted Sonic in to his arms.

Yet, he found himself speaking again, as if feeling that he had to explain his emotions and the processes behind them. He wanted Tails to understand.

"While I still sense a desire to cause harm, it is not as strong. I would not purposefully allow trauma to fall upon organic beings now. I hope to gain full control of my inclination to hostility, and when I can achieve that, I will no longer be affiliated with Robotnik. Regardless, I shall assist you and the hedgehog."

Tails listened and nodded slowly, sniffing as he wiped his eyes. He eventually mustered up the courage to make eye contact with Metal, trying to calm himself. Tears stained his white cheeks, and his small body still trembled with fright, and weakness from his sobbing. Metal recognised the emotions and looked to the kit; as he did, the protective feeling that had taken him the previous day returned.

He quieted as he processed how to approach the situation.

Finally, he reached out, and wiped the fox's tears away.


End file.
